Soap-press.



B. H. BECKER & J. OIESLA.

SOAP PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED PEB.3,1912.

1,085,236, Patented Jan. 27, 1914.

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B. H. BECKER & J. CIESLA.

SOAP PRESS.

APPLICATION PILED'FEB. s, 1912.

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Patented Jan. 27, 1914.

B. H. BBGKER & J. OIESLA.

SOAP PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 3, 1912.

Patented Jan. 27, 1914.

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UNITED srA'rEs rattan OFFICE.

BENJAMIN H. BECKER ANDJOHN CIESLA, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TOJAMES S. KIRK & 00., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SOAP-PRESS.

Application filed February 3, 1912.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, BENJAMIN H. BECKER andJOHN CIESLA, both citizens of the United States, residing in Chicago,county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Soap-Presses, of which the following is aspecification.

Our invention relates to improvements in that class of presses which areused in the final steps of the manufacture of soap in cake form to givethe cake of soap its final or finished form and impress thereoncharacters indicating its source of manufacture, brand, etc; and themain object of the invention is to provide, in a machine of thischaracter, an improved and readily adjust able mechanism for effectingthe accurate positioning of blanks of different widths between the upperand lower die-members preliminary to the pressing operation, and forcontrolling the movement or operation of said blank-positioning means soas to effect the release of the blank at the proper point in themovement of the upper reciprocating die-member.

Minor objects of the invention are to provide an improved feed-chute forthe blanks, capable of convenient adjustment to blanks of differentsizes, to provide simplified and improved means for actuating thereciprocating pusher by which the blanks are successively fed betweenthe dies and the finished cakes simultaneously ejected from between thedies; to provide an improved mechanism for delivering the finished cakesfrom between the dies; and, generally, to provide an improved,simplified, and highly elticient machine of the character specified.

Our invention, its mode of operation, and the advantages secured therebywill all be readily understood when considered in connection with theaccompanying drawings which illustrate one improved form in which theinvention may be embodied, and in which Figure l is a front elevationalview of the complete machine. Fig. 2 is a side elevational View, viewedfrom the right of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section onthe line 38 of Fig. 1. Fig. a is an enlarged detail, partly in elevationand partly in vertical section of the upper and lower die- ASpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 27,1914.

Ser'ia1No. 675,142.

members and the supports and actuating mechanism of the lowerdie-member. Fig. 5 is a detail rear elevation of the feed-chute and itsadjustable supports.

Referring to the drawings, 5 designates each of a pair of skeleton sideframe members rigidly connected at their upper ends by a table orplatform 6, on which latter is secured a die-box or matrix 7. Rigidlybolted to the table (3 are a pair of parallel upright frame members 8,best shown in Fig. 2, the forwardly projecting ends of which support avertical slide-way 9, in which is reciprocably mounted a cross-head 10,to the lower end of which is secured the upper die-member 11. Saidcross-head 10 has formed therein a vertical slot 12 that is engaged bythe actuating means next to be described. Pivotally mounted between thestandards 8 on a pivot-shaft 13 is a rockingbeam here taking the form ofa three-arm lever, the forwardly extending arm 14 of which projects atits free end through the slot 12 of the cross-head 10 and constitutesthe immediate actuating means of said crosshead. An upwardly andrearwardly extending arm 15 of said lever carries a counterweight 16designed to balance the crosshead 10 and the parts carried thereby; anda long depending arm 17 of said lever is connected to thelever-actuating means herein shown as comprising an eccentric 18 fast ona driving-shaft 19 journaled in suitable bearings 20 on rearwardextensions 5 of the side frames 5, an eccentric strap 21, and aconnecting rod 22, between the eccentric strap and the lower end of thelever arm 17 in which connecting rod is interposed the usual elasticslip-joint 23 commonly employed in these machines to reduce jar andvibration and prevent pounding.

2-1 designates the lower die-member (Fig. 4c), secured on the upper endof a stem 25 that is slidably mounted in a bushing 26 threaded throughthe table 6 and at its upper end forming a stop for the lower side ofthe die-member 24. The lower end of the bushing 26 has a head 27 bywhich it may be turned to adjust the position of the die-member 2iupwardly or downwardly, a lock-nut 28 on said bushing serving to lockthe same in adjusted position. Fast on the stem 25 is a tappet 29 havinga squared lower end and a tapered or beveled upper end 29*. The lowerend of the stem 25 of the lower die-member is guidingly supported in adepending bracket 30 secured to the lower side of the table 6.

The lower die-member 24 is raised to carry the compressed cake out ofthe matrix 7 and to a position to be ejected from between thedie-members by mechanism connected to and actuated from the cross-head10 and engaging the tappet 29. This mechanism comprises an arm 31(Fig. 1) rigidly bolted to the upper end of the cross-head 10, avertical rod 32 connected to the arm 31 by a collar 31 on said arm and aset-screw 33, said rod 32 being guided in a vertical bearing 34 securedto one of the frame uprights 8, and an arm 35 pivoted on the rod 32 nearthe lower end of the latter. The free end of arm 35 is normally urgedtoward the die stem by a spring 36 connected to a rearward extension 37of the arm 35 and to a bracket 38 secured to the lower end of the rod32. Hence, it will be seen that the lifter-rod 32 is positively actuatedin both directions by and from the cross-head 10. As the cross-headapproaches the limit of its downward movement, the free end of arm 35slides over the beveled top 29 of the tappet 29 and engages the latterfrom beneath, and as the cross-head rises, the arm rises, raising thetappet, the stem 25, and the lower die-member 24 for the elevation ofthe pressed blank out of the die-box. As soon as this has beenaccomplished, the arm 35 is disengaged from beneath the tappet 29, by akicker 39 that consists simply of a long rigid finger attached to thedepending arm 17 of the rocking-beam near its lower end, the freeforward end of said kicker striking the inner side of the arm 35 at theproper instant and dislodging it from engagement with the underside ofthe tappet 29. This allows the lower die-box, its stem, and the tappet29 to drop by gravity. To cushion the fall of the lower die-member andits stem, the latter is provided with a collar 40 fast thereon whichengages the upper end of a cushioningspring 41 that rests upon thehanger-bracket 30 and is supported by a guide-rod 42 on the bracket 30and extending through an aperture in the collar 40. This spring 41 doesnot arrest or impede the full downward movement of the lower die-memberand its stem but merely cushions the shock of the fall and preventspounding either of the tappet 29 on the bracket 30 or of the die-member24 on the upper end, of the bushing 26.

Secured to the upper face of the table 6 is an angle-piece 43 (Fig. 3),to the vertical wall of which is secured by bolts 44, anglebracket 45and bolts 46, a horizontal shelf 47 that constitutes a rest for thelower end of a feed chute, the parallel side walls of which aredesignated by 48, the lower ends of said side walls 48 being secured tothe plate 47 with capacity for adjustment toward and from each other byangle-brackets 49, bolts 50 securing said angle-brackets to the shelf47, and bolts 51 connecting said angle-brackets to the side walls 48.The bottom of the chute is constituted by a pair of rails 52 adjustablysecured to the walls by screws 53 entered into said strips and engagedwith horizontal slots 54 formed in the side walls 48. By shifting thescrews along the slots the depth-of the chute can be adjusted accordingto the length of the blanks to be operated upon.

The rear and upper end of the chute is supported from an auxiliaryplatform 55 secured to one of the frame members 5 by means of a pair ofangle-strips 56 secured at their upper ends to the side walls 48 and attheir lower ends having short laterally projecting arms 57 apertured toengage a cross-rod 58 (Fig. 5), said cross-rod being mounted in a pairof collars 59 slidably mounted on vertical rods 60 secured to theauxiliary platform 55. The arms 57 are adjustably secured on the rod 58by set-screws 61. and the collars 59 are adjustably secured on the rod60 by set-screws 62. This mechanism permits ready adjustment of thewidth of the chute so far as concerns the supporting means of the upperend of the latter.

The shelf 47 extends beneath the bottom end of the feed-chute and formsa support on which the lowermost blank rests; and over said shelfreciprocates a pusher or plunger in the form of a fiat strip 64 having adownwardly turned forward end 64 adapted to engage the rear end of thelowermost blank and push it over the matrix between the die-members. Thepusher 64 is secured by means of a collar 65 at its rear end and aset-screw 66 to a rod 67 reciprocably mounted in bearings 68 and 69carried by the auxiliary platform 55. The plunger is actuated by thefollowing mechanism. Keyed on the driving shaft 19 is a bevel gear 7 Owhich drives a bevel gear 71 fast on a counter-shaft 72, the inner endof which latter has a crankarm 73 connected by a pitman 74 and collar 75to an upright rod 76 that is pivoted at its lower end at 77 to a bracket78 on one of the frame members 5. The upper end of the rod 76 isadjustably connected to the reciprocating rod 67 of the pusher by acollar 79 secured on the upper end of rod 76 by a set-screw 80, a collar81 secured on rod 67 bya set-screw 82, and a link 83 pivotallyconnecting said collars'.

Referring now to the blank centering and controlling means,.84designates each of a pair of arms having vertical hubs 85 by which theyare mounted on pivot-studs 86 carried by blocks 87 that are adjustablysecured on a cross-shaft 88 by means of setscrews 89. The inner sides ofthe arms 84: are provided with non-metallic facing blocks or pads,preferably of rubber, and indicated at 90. The arms 84 have outwardlyturned extensions 81, to the ends of which are secured depending cams91. The centering arms 841 are normally urged inwardly or toward eachother across the upper side of the matrix by means of compressionsprings 92 encircling rods 93, said rods being carried at their outerends in uprights 94: secured to the table 6 and at their inner endsslidably engaging with a loose fit bearings carried by the extensions 81of the arms 81, said springs 92 abutting at one end against the bearings95 and at their other ends against collars 96 secured on the rods 93.\Ve also preferably employ auxiliary spring means for actuating thecentering arms in their closing movement comprising tension springs 97secured at one end to rearwardly extending arms 98 on the hubs 85, andanchored at their other ends to adjustable screws 99 mounted in fixedbrackets 100 secured to the table 6. The inward swing of the centeringarms is adjusted and limited. according to the width of the blankoperated upon, by ad justable stops in the form of screws 101 passingthrough depending lugs 81 on the arms 84.

The means for spreading the centering arms comprises a rock-shaft 102journaled in upright brackets 103 secured to the table 6 and havingkeyed thereon a pair of arms 104; that cooperate with the cams 91. theupward swing of said arms engaging the inclined surfaces of the cams andspreading the centering arms 84 in opposition to the springs 92 and 97,and the downward swing of said arms permitting the centering arms 8.4 toapproach each other under the impulse of said springs. The rock-shaft102 is oscillated from the vertically reciprocating rod 32 by means of avertical link 103 attached near the lower end of the rod 32 as through acollar 106, the upper end of said link being pivotally connected to anarm 107 fast on one end of the rock-shaft 102. From this it will beapparent that the downward movement of the rod 32 will actuate therock-shaft 102 in a direction to spread the centering arms, while theopposite movement of the rod 32 will permit the inward or closingmovement of the centering arms.

The machine is provlded with a discharge conveyer for the pressed cakes,the same comprising an endless belt 108 mounted on rollers 109 and 110,the upper section of said belt operating between stationary side guides111 carried by a bracket 112 secured to the main table or platform 6.The belt is driven by driving connections from the main shaft 19comprising a bevel gear 113 l on shaft 19 meshing with a bevel gear 114:on a counter-shaft 115 suitably journaled in bearings carried by theside frame 5 and 5, a sprocket 116 on the shaft 115, a sprocket 117 onthe shaft of the roller 110, and a connecting sprocket chain 118.

In the operation of the machine blanks are supplied to the upper portionof the feed-chute. as indicated in Fig. 1, and, as the upper die-memberrises, the pusher forces the lowermost blank to a position directly overthe matrix and between the upper and lower die-members, the blank beinglightly supported at its edges by the pads 90 of the centering arms 84,which are so adjusted as to accurately position the blank exactly overthe cavity of the matrix. As the upper plunger descends, the centeringarms are gradually spread allowing the blank to drop into the matrix andon to the lower diemember closely followed by the upper plun ger,whereupon the compressing and cakeforming operation takes place. As soonas this is completed, the upper and lower diemembers simultaneouslyrise, the lower diemember being elevated by the arm 85 engaging beneaththe tappet 29. By this means the finished cake is elevated to a positionbetween the spreader-shoes 90, the lower die instantly dropping back assoon as the arm 35 has been disengaged from the tappet 29 by the kicker39. The finished cake is lightly gripped between the shoes of thecentering arms until the next inward movement of the pusher, forcing anew blank into position, at the same time forces the finished cake outfrom between the centering arms onto the conveyor 108, whence it iscarried off.

A leading advantage of the machine resides in the ready adjustability ofthe feed chute and centering devices and the actuating mechanism of thelatter to accommodate blanks of considerably varying sizes, thusincreasing the capability of the machine to handle blanks of varyingdimensions. It will be noted that the actuating mechanism of thereciprocating pusher is almost wholly located below the horizontal tableor platform of the machine and very low in the latter. This contributesin a large measure to the stability of the machine and its freedom fromjar and vibration. It will also be observed that the described actuatingmechanism of the machine is readily capable of adjustment to vary thelength of stroke of the pusher (according to the length of the blanksused) by simply adjusting the point of connection of the collar 75lengthwise of the vibrating rod 76. The action of the machine isentirely automatic, the various cooperating parts being adjusted tooperate in properly timed relation: and the machine requires only anattendant to feed blanks into the upper end of the feed-chute, andanother attendant to withdraw the finished cakes from thedeliveryconveyer for wrapping and packaging.

It will be manifest to those skilled in the art that the machine of ourinvention may be modified in respect to details without de parting fromthe operative principles involved or subtracting from the benefits andadvantages attained. Hence, we do not limit the invention to the exactmechanism shown and described, except to ,the extent clearly indicatedin specific claims.

We claim 1. In a soap-press, the combination with a matrix and upper andlower die-members, of a reciprocating cross-head carrying said upperdie-member, means for actuating said cross-head, means for raising thelower die-member after the stamping operation to expel the stamped cakefrom the matrix, a feed-chute for the blanks, a pusher operating acrosssaid feed-chute, a pair of pivoted blank-centering arms disposed oneither side of the upper end of said matrix, respectively, means foradjusting said centering arms bodily toward and from each otheraccording to the width of theblanks used, spring means normally urgingsaid arms toward each other, and cam means cooperating with the outerends of said arms for spreading the latter during the descent of theupper die-member.

2. In a soap-press, the combination with a matrix and upper and lowerdie-members, of a reciprocating cross-head carrying said upperdie-member, means for actuating said cross-head, means for raising thelower diemember after the stamping operation to expel the stamped cakefrom the matrix, a feed-chute for the blanks, a pusher operating acrosssaid feed-chute, a pair of pivoted blank-centering arms disposed oneither side of the upper end of said matrix, respectively, spring meansnormally urging said arms toward each other, a rock-shaft journaledopposite and transversely of the outer ends of said arms, cooperatingdevices on the outerends of said arms and on said rock-shaft foreffecting the spreading of said arms by cam action, and means foractuating said rock-shaft in suitably timed Copies of this patent may beobtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner relation tothe movements of the die-members.

.3. In a soap-press, the combination with a matrix and upper and lowerdie-members, of a reciprocating cross-head carrying said upperdiemember, means for actuating said cross-head, means for raising thelower diemember after the stamping operation to expel the stamped cakefrom the matrix, a feed-chute for the blanks, a pusher operating acrosssaid feed-chute, a pair of pivoted blank-centering arms disposed oneither side of the upper end of said matrix, respectively, spring meansnormally swinging said arms toward each other, a rock-shaft journaledopposite and transversely of the outer ends of said arms, cams on theouter ends of said arms, cam-actuating arms on said rock-shaft, andmeans connected to and actuated by said cross-head for actuating saidrock-shaft in suitably timed relation to the movements of thedie-members at. In a soap-press, the combination with a matrix and upperand lower die-members, of a reciprocating cross-head carrying said upperdie-member, means for actuating said cross-head, means for raising thelower die member after the stamping operation to expel the stamped cakefrom the matrix, a feed-chute for the blanks, a pusher operating acrosssaid feed-chute, a pair of pivot ed blank-centering arms disposed oneither side of the upper end of said matrix, respectively, means foradjusting said centering arms bodily toward and from each other, springmeans normally urging said arms toward each other, a rock-shaftjournaled opposite and transversely of the outer ends of said arms, camson the outer ends of said arms, cam-actuating arms mounted on andadjustable lengthwise of said rockshaft, and means connected to andactuated by said cross-head for actuating said rockshaft in suitablytimed relation to the movements of the die-members.

BENJAMIN H. BECKER. JOHN CIESLA.

Witnesses:

Jxoon L. OESTMANN, ELMER 1 Grams.

of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

